Prof. Dr. Med. Alexander Bernhardt

Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) is increasingly used to treat cardiogenic shock. However, VA-ECMO might hamper myocardial recovery. The Impella unloads the left ventricle. This study aimed to evaluate whether left ventricular unloading in patients with cardiogenic shock treated with VA-ECMO was associated with lower mortality.

Nanomedicines based on poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) carriers offer tremendous opportunities for biomedical research. Although several PLGA-based systems have already been approved by both the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicine Agency (EMA), and are widely used in the clinics for the treatment or diagnosis of diseases, no PLGA nanomedicine formulation is currently available on the global market.

Despite medical advances, cardiogenic and pulmonary shock are associated with high mortality and morbidity. The availability and use of acute or temporary mechanical support devices has grown over the years, with the goal of improving patient outcomes by temporarily providing support to allow time for organ recovery or for longer term decisions including transition to durable therapies.